Some Nights
by MakeGalarGreatUndeadProwess
Summary: Bede normally endorses nobody; he simply hasn't the time for such mediocrities. This time was a little different, though.


**Some Nights**

Ballonlea's forests were dark and light filtered through in strange ways due to the luminous mushrooms dappling the groves. It made for the perfect hideaway for a tired or irritated gym leader. Bede fit both of those descriptions more often than some of Galar's other leaders and as such, it was quite common to find him stowing away deep into the eldritch forest. He was wearing his favorite coat that day, seeing as he was off duty for the time being, and found comfort in its hold as he sat beneath the glowing cap of a blue mushroom.

With so much solitude just outside the city, it seemed impossible anyone would be able to stumble across him. Yet, the crunching of leaves and sticks caught his attention, and he whipped his head to see a little girl tumble out from between two bushes. She wore a worn-out white and pink dress with a purple ribbon around its waist; her hair fell just past her shoulders, light brown and straight, but tangled due to the thick undergrowth. Faded pink slippers clung to her feet.

Bede blinked and sighed. His peace fractured by a wandering idiot child. That sounded about right. "Just what do you think you're doing out here?" Bede asked.

"Looking for you!" she exclaimed. She stood tall and brushed her dress off, plucking a stick out from where it jabbed her in the leg. Her brown eyes were bright and wide. "Miss Meredith was goin' to pass straight through Ballonlea, but I couldn't let her do that! I needed to see you!"

"Meredith…?" Bede echoed quietly. Something felt familiar about that name. "Is that your mother?" he asked.

"Oh, no," the little girl answered swiftly. "My name's Taylor! Miss Meredith takes care of us but she's not my mom." She laughed. "She said you wouldn't even think of giving us a starter or endorsement, but she wouldn't even try! So I came to try!"

Bede froze in place as the details started fitting together. He became acutely aware of why Meredith sounded familiar. She had been one of the caretakers at Suellen's Nursery, at Circhester's southern border. He regarded the little girl with a new, wide-eyed expression that so few had seen on him. "L-little girl… Taylor. Are you traveling with Suellen Nursery?"

"I think that's its name, yeah," she answered. She bounced a little. "I know it's a lot to ask and everyone says you usually don't, but I'd love a Fairy-type Pokemon to be my starter!"

He reeled for a moment. She seemed excitable and happy, much unlike how he remembered spending his days at Suellen's. Perhaps she was lucky enough to have not known her real parents at all, and still young enough to not mind that detail. Quite different from him, who had been left to Suellen's at seven with just his mother's jacket. He clutched a part of the sleeve that was touching the palm of his hand. He took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "Okay… okay. You're right. I normally don't. And," he paused and made a beckoning motion with his finger, "you must keep in mind that if you do go out on your gym challenge, it's a rough world out there. You'll have to face me eventually and, admittedly… some that are quite better than me. But the gym challenge will get you out of that place, and let you find something new."

She gave an ear-to-ear grin and bounced excitedly. "Does this mean—"

"Shh," he shushed her, "keep this between you and me, understand?"

She put both hands over her mouth and nodded eagerly.

"Good," he said. He reached into his pockets to retrieve his Rotom Phone. He looked through his Pokemon Storage Boxes until he located a suitable starter. A young male Ralts. It would certainly be a lot friendlier and less disruptive than _his_ starter had been. As much as he loved Hatterene and would not replace her for the world, he would be the first to advise against owning one. He tucked the phone back into his pocket and retrieved a Pokeball from his belt. He held it out to the little girl, but didn't let her take it just yet.

"This is a Ralts," he explained, "they're quite friendly and if you train it right, it'll become a Kirlia. After that, if you train it properly some more, it may become a Gardevoir. You can also give Kirlia a Dawn Stone to have it become a Gallade instead. Of course, if you're goin' for Fairy… you'll want Gardevoir." He winked at her and clasped the Pokeball in her hand.

He was trembling somewhat; he had never felt such a rush of desire to just… _do_ something before. He wanted to do everything in his power to set this girl right, to ensure her challenge went properly and smoothly, to ensure she got out of that godforsaken orphanage, to—

"M-Mr. Bede?" she asked when he continued to hold on. He quickly let go and apologized.

"You need something else, of course," Bede said. He dug in his pockets for a moment until he found a piece of paper and a pen. The pen was purple, but that was still a pen. "I will admit, since I don't really write recommendations, I don't have any preplanned on me. You'll need to get an envelope and tuck this in it before you can give it to any League Staff. What's your last name?"

"Hill!" she answered. "Taylor Hill."

On the note, he wrote:

_To whom it may concern, I, Gym Leader Bede of Ballonlea, endorse Taylor Hill for the Galar Major League Gym Challenge. I have verified she has a starting Pokemon, in this case, a Ralts, and has the means necessary to engage in this season. _

_Signed, Gym Leader Bede._

_**Bede**_

He neatly folded the crinkled paper and handed it to her. "Keep that somewhere very safe until you can get it to League Staff. Now, let's get you back to the group, alright?" he said. "But remember. Our secret. You'll say you just caught the Ralts, and that Nessa or someone endorsed you, okay? Ralts is a pretty weak Pokemon right now, wouldn't be hard to say you caught it by just lobbing a ball at it…"

"Our secret!" Taylor giggled. "No worries, Mr. Bede!"

He led her out of the brush, picking her up to keep her dress from dragging on thorns and sticks. Once back in the city, he set her down and she bolted over to a frazzled group standing about the center of the city's walkways. A harried old woman scolded Taylor once she returned, demanding to know what she thought she was doing. Bede took a deep breath to compose himself and placed his hands on his hips as he approached.

"I believe you lost one along the way," Bede commented as he drew close.

Meredith, her skin papery and hair white and frizzy, apologized profusely. "I am so sorry Gym Leader Bede," she said, "I don't know—"

"Calm down," Bede yawned. "I've no interest in how or why. Seems kid wanted a Pokemon. She had found a Pokeball on the ground and lobbed it at a poor Ralts until she caught it."

"Is that true?" Meredith asked, turning to Taylor. Taylor triumphantly held up the Pokeball.

"Yes! I love it!" she yelled.

"Ralts isn't so bad," Meredith muttered under her breath. She looked up at Bede. "Thank you for bringing her back to the group, Gym Leader Bede. We'll be on our way now."

The rest of the kids clamored around Taylor, demanding to see her new Pokemon. Meredith called for them to compose themselves so they could continue their trip. A Corviknight Cabbie offered his assistance, saying he'd call a friend to accommodate all of them. Meredith graciously accepted. Bede began to turn away when he saw Taylor wave at him excitedly from the crowd. He couldn't help but give a soft smile, then turn on a heel to head back to the gym. Instead of seeing the roadway behind him, however, he was met with Opal's terrifyingly long nose.

"Arceus—Opal!" he snapped. "Why must you sneak up on me like that?"

"You did something good," Opal teased. She turned away from him to walk back to the gym.

"I did nothing," he spat back after her. "I was just out in the woods for a break, and now I'm heading back to the gym."

"I didn't say you didn't," Opal answered simply. "Just that you did something good."

Bede relaxed a little and shook his head. _'Suppose I did,_ he thought.


End file.
